Occasional Papers

GDP Growth Semblance and Substance

By Saeed Ahmad Qureshi

Synopsis: 

This paper analyzes the three different approaches of measuring GDP namely product approach, expenditure approach and income approach and their application in Pakistan. It attempts to look into the legitimacy of the national income accounts and statistics and their reliability in the light of the prevailing international standards. It identifies the major weaknesses of the national income accounts in Pakistan by drawing a comparison of Pakistan’s national accounts with that of the United Nations Systems of National Accounts (UN-SNA-1993). The UN-SNA envisages a social accounting matrix and supply and use tables covering the pattern of goods and services from local and foreign sources used in intermediate and final (e.g. export) stages by the industrial sector to facilitate inputs-outputs analysis. These are not a regular feature of the national accounts in Pakistan but have been formulated sporadically. Thus UN-SNA is highly integrated unlike Pakistan’s accounts which are drawn on the single entry system and provide a segmented picture. The evidence suggest that while the domestic system provides supporting tables on the product, expenditure and gross capital information, it still has a long way to go to produce complete accounts enjoined by the UN System. It calls for drawing up a phased program to adopt the UN-SNA standards in terms of coverage and methodology in order to overcome the deficiencies in the measurement of national income accounts.

About the Author:

Mr Saeed Ahmad Qureshi is currently serving various renowned institutions as a member of their governing bodies. To name a few he is the Vice President of the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Chairman Education Foundation Islamabad, Senior Advisor at the Punjab Rural Support Program, Member National Council for Highways, and the National Finance Commission Government of Pakistan. From 1957-1994 Mr Qureshi made contributions to and has worked with the prestigious institutions and ministries of Pakistan. He worked with the Ministry of Education, Finance, Food and Agriculture, Commerce and Economic Affairs.  Mr Qureshi has at least two dozen publications to his credit. The main issues of his work are agricultural growth, education development, economic policy, growth, and poverty alleviation. Mr Qureshi obtained his master’s degree in Economics from Punjab University and a diploma in Public Administration from Oxford University, United Kingdom.

Water and Conflict in the Indus Basin: Sub-national Dimensions

By Dr. Daanish Mustafa

Synopsis: 

This paper discusses the water and security nexus, especially in the Indus basin.  It reviews the relationship between water resources and national and international security. After a brief historical review of hydropolitics in the Indus basin, the paper surveys contemporary hydropolitics in the basin, at the inter-provincial scale with reference to the Kalabagh dam controversy in Pakistan and the water dispute between Punjab and Haryana states in India.  The paper also builds a case for attention to local level hydropolitics with reference to the example of domestic water supply issues in Karachi, and with reference to local level irrigation and flood management in Pakistan. It concludes by summarizing the salient themes emerging from the review and future research directions which could further contribute towards understanding the water and security nexus at the sub-national level in the Indus basin.

About the Author:

Daanish Mustafa is an assistant professor of Geography at the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg, USA.  He received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado at Boulder, USA.  Throughout his academic career his research interests have been in the issues of human interactions with the environment, in third world developmental contexts.  He has used water resources geography, hazards geography and development geography as thematic pathways to pursue his broader intellectual interests in social justice, environmental quality and radical social change.

Socio-economic Profile and Prospects for Diffusion of Renewable Energy in Cholistani Villages 

By: Dr Asif Qayyum Qureshi

Synopsis: 

This paper outlines the positive aspects and benefits of renewable energy applications for development purposes to fulfill the energy needs of the Cholistan area. Due to the vast size of the area, it considers the prospects of renewable energy for two out of four tehsils of District Rahimyar Khan, falling partially within the desert and analyzes how well it fits in with the energy needs of the area and the subsequent development approach. The research methodology and questionnaires consider the effects of the two socio-economic factors on the sustainable livelihood and energy demands of the area. These are: the fuel consumption patterns; culture of women; and patterns of community behavior and participation. The paper also analyzes the impact of community participation on the integrated area development programs. It makes a case for enhanced role of women in rural energy interventions and suggests a possible approach to facilitate the process.

About the Author:

Dr Asif Qayyum Qureshi is currently working with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as Chief Technical Advisor and National Project Coordinator for the Ministry of Environment, Government of Pakistan project on Commercialization of Wind Power Potential in Pakistan. Dr Qureshi specializes in sustainable energy policies, particularly the renewable and sustainable energy model for urban and rural development. He is a member of several national and international organizations including: the Institute of Physics, United Kingdom; Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom; American Chemical Society, United States; and the Pakistan Institute of Physics. He is also the first Pakistani to be awarded the lifetime title of Chartered Chemist by the Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom. Dr Qureshi holds a PhD in Energy and Environment from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Energy Pricing Policy in Pakistan: Existing Prices and a Proposed Framework

By: Syed Waqar Haider

Synopsis: 

How to price energy is a significant policy issue in developing countries like Pakistan. Many price distortions exist in the energy sector in addition to a wide gap between international and domestic prices. If the government were to price energy to reflect its true economic cost many sectors of the economy would be adversely affected from the price increase. This paper reviews both the present system of price setting and a theoretical framework of pricing principles and suggests ways of formulating domestic energy pricing policies. It also emphasizes the need to analyze the effects of energy price adjustments on various sectors of the economy.

About the Author:

Syed Waqar Haider has been working with the World Bank Resident Mission in Islamabad since 1991 as an Energy and Infrastructure Specialist, and is actively involved in the planning, restructuring and reform of power, oil and gas sectors in Pakistan.  He has participated in the development and implementation of the reform programs, regulatory framework, and privatization, and has undertaken a number of policy analysis and sectoral studies. He also has extensive experience of the renewable energy resource potential and utilization in Pakistan. Mr. Haider has over thirty years of professional experience, and post-graduate qualifications in engineering and management sciences, and has attended a number of specialized training courses. 

* Please note that all these publications are priced publications. If you have any further queries about these, please feel free to contact us at main@lead.org.pk

Occasional Papers   Case Studies  Updates  Lecture Series

Books and Proceeding  Annual Reports  Making The Difference